Mt. Ruapehu Prepares for Ski and Snowboard Mini X Games

Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand (Thursday, July 6, 2006) - As up to
New snow piles up on cars in the parking lot of New Zealand's Whakapapa Ski Area today. (photo: RAL)
New snow piles up on cars in the parking lot of New Zealand's Whakapapa Ski Area today.
(photo: RAL)
half a meter of snow piled up on the slopes of Mt. Ruapehu today, officials at Whakapapa were preparing for The Fruit Hitz Mt. Ruapehu Mini X Games kick of at Whakapapa next week. Now in its sixth year, the Mini X Games are the biggest kids on snow freestyle ski and snowboard event in New Zealand.

The event is open to all kids aged between 5 and 12, girls and boys, skiers and snowboarders. The event schedule is as follows:

Monday July 10th - Dual Slalom
Tuesday July 11th - SkierX and BoarderX
Wednesday 12th - Mini Big Air

Mt. Ruapehu Marketing Manager, Mike Smith says this event is one of the ski and snowboard season highlights. "Each day we'll have up to 150 competitors and hundreds of parents and onlookers to cheer them on. The staff really look forward to putting it on."

Heavy snow is currently falling on the mountain. "Between 40 and 50 centimers of snow has fallen at both Whakapapa and Turoa since last night," Smith says.

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